As I write this I am traveling America without a penny in my pocket. I left my home in San Diego on June 2nd with $2,000 cash and on August 12th I took a leap of faith in humanity and gave the last $421 I had with me to a non-profit. I made the goal that day of finishing my ride to New York City moneyless just to prove to myself and others that it is possible. Today I arrived in New York City on my bicycle, still without a penny in my pocket. People have tried to give me money but I have easily refused it.

This experience is about much more than just not spending money. It’s about showing that you and I can be contributing members to society whether we have money or not. It’s about showing that there are much more rewarding ways to live than just throwing money at every situation. It’s about living a life that is truly beneficial to the earth, my community, and myself. It’s about being more involved in our communities and treating each other with respect. And it’s also about teaching you how to live with less money so that you can follow your dreams and live independently of corrupted systems that don’t serve your best interests.

If you follow this guide exactly you will literally be able to travel the country without a penny in your pocket. However, I know that most of you won’t be able take that leap of faith right away because it has taken me years of practice and a vast amount of dedication and resourcefulness to get to this point. You can most certainly adapt a few of these tips though and in doing so learn to travel very inexpensively. Once you learn to do that the country and the world will be yours to see.

I’m no stranger to traveling without money.

Earlier this year I flew to Panama with just the clothes on my back and passport to Share My Way Home and two years ago I flew to Cabo, Mexico moneyless and hitched 1,300 miles back to San Diego through the desert. These trips were downright grueling but I came out of them knowing for certain I could travel without money. Now I’ve made it a way of living and over the last month and a half of traveling moneyless there were only a few remote occasions when I even had the urge for money. I’m amazed that I, a man who used to say I was going to be a millionaire, now forgo the thought of money on a daily basis, but it is in fact the case.

I have learned to live simply and because of that I live more freely than I ever have before. Here is my guide of how to travel America for free without mooching:

Gear Up with Some Necessities

In order to be self-sufficient and travel sustainably you may need to spend a little bit of money upfront but if you buy everything used you won’t need much money to get going at all. Shop at thrift stores and second hand stores or use sharing economy websites like Yerdle and Craigslist. With a resourceful mind you might not even need to use money to get the necessities. Most importantly, remember to travel light and only take what you actually need. My necessities will be mentioned throughout this blog and the tips within can help you with procuring them.

Go Human Powered

The bicycle is an amazing machine that can get you just about anywhere you need to go. One of the greatest keys to freedom is having a bicycle. It doesn’t have to be a sweet bamboo bike like I ride though. A $300 bike from Craigslist will do the trick or you can even get one for free through an Earn-A-Bike program. You’ll never have to pay for gas, parking, tickets, or all the other money sucking expenses of car travel.

Learn how to repair your own bike and get used parts. Carry simple tools to fix your bike and some spare parts such as inner tubes. Often you can get free parts from community bike shops or in exchange for volunteering.

Dumpster Dive for Food

It’s a shame but in America we throw away enough food to feed another entire America. That means we throw away nearly half of all the food we produce. I have found out first hand that our grocery store dumpsters are filled to the brim with perfectly good food. There is such an abundance that I can be picky with what I choose to eat from the dumpsters. I’ve eaten from over 500 dumpsters across America and never been sick.

Open up your eyes and you’ll realize that food is growing free all around you. Fruit from trees that aren’t being tended to, wild grapevines, cactuses in the desert, mushrooms in the woods, berries, and wild herbs have all found their way into my belly. Food is Free!

Water

Bring a water purifier and a reusable bottle. Many parts of our country are abundant with natural bodies of water and a simple water purifier will make it clean and healthy for you to drink. If that is not available, we are also blessed with clean tap water. You can get this from public fountains, restaurants, bathroom sinks, etc. There is no shortage of places to fill up your bottle. Be conservative with water too. The average American uses one hundred gallons of water each day while I am able to use just five or ten.

Sleeping

How can you sleep without paying for a hotel room? Well, it turns out that the body needs so much less than you think. Carry a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping mat and you will find that you can sleep just about anywhere.

I’ve slept in campgrounds

Parks

Roadsides

Abandoned buildings

And the middle of nowhere’s

All of these places have provided me with a place to rest for the night. Not to mention all the churchyards, fire stations, baseball fields, backyards, and even cemeteries. I’m a man of 5’10” and there are an unlimited number of places that I can comfortably fit my small body for the night.

You can also use websites like Couchsurfing and Warmshowers to stay for free with a host. This is Juanita and Chris in Louisiana:

If you accept that the body does not need all the modern luxuries that are advertised you’ll see that it does not cost money to upkeep the body. In the past, I would shower every day but it’s now been 17 months since my last shower. I bathe solely in lakes, rivers, and the ocean or use a gallon of water from the sink. The only body care products I carry are toothpaste, Dr. Bronner’s Soap, a toothbrush, floss, and essential oil. This actually is one area where about $20-$50 per year could really help you out.
The more naturally I live, the more freely I live.

Electricity

Well, you don’t need electricity to live but if you choose to carry some electronic devices like a computer or cell phone bring a solar panel to meet your energy demands. This way you don’t depend on the grid for electricity. Otherwise, you can just plug into any of the millions of outlets that exist in America.

My cell phone is currently the only bill that I have and one day I may get away from that as well. This summer I canceled my last credit card, paid my last debt, ditched all of my other bills, and switched to a local credit union. I’m still progressing into a moneyless way of living myself but I’ve been chipping away from the dependence and am more free than ever before.

Travel with a Purpose Greater than Yourself

If you travel with a purpose to make the earth a better place you will find that your needs will be more easily met. People are always excited to be a part of a greater cause. By involving them, they often receive as much from helping you as you received from their help. I give all of my trips a theme such as doing good for others on the Goodfluence Tour, demonstrating eco-friendly living on Off The Grid Across America, or simple living and sharing on Share My Way Home. People love to be a part of my travels and go out of their way to get involved and host me!

Make Goodness Your Currency

When you do good for others, others will do good for you. The great thing about goodness as a currency is, the more you give, the more you receive. You don’t need to have anything to start with to use this currency. There are so many people in need of help and all you have to do is go out there and help them.

Exchange and Barter

I have started to make transactions that don’t involve money but I was somewhat unfamiliar with this in early adulthood. You can volunteer on organic farms with WWOOF and have your lodging and food covered while you’re there for example. You could go dumpster diving for $100’s of dollars worth of food and trade that for what you need (as long as you tell them where you got it). You can also work in exchange for what you need. Exchanges don’t always have to be linear either. By giving to others when you can, you’ll find that what you need may come from others not involved, just because they know you are a good person.

Entertainment

Entertainment needs not cost a cent. It is only a matter of perspective as to finding your forms of entertainment. Let nature provide you with smiles. This field of wheat made my spirits soar.

The clouds, the air, the green grass, and the trees bring me pleasure.

There are 300 million Americans, all with their own unique story that can provide friendship and conversation.

And the animals have often kept me company too!

There are thousands of public events that you can find for free like documentary screenings, dances, and parties. Communities are loaded with free events. The library is also a wonderful resource filled with infinite knowledge both via books and public computers. (See 13 awesome things that are free for more inspiration)

Live off of America’s Wastefulness

I mentioned dumpster diving for food but there is so much waste in America that you can find just about anything you need in the trash with just a little work. Even thrift stores get so much stuff donated to them that they toss a lot of it into dumpsters. In my opinion that is free for the taking. Retail dumpsters, residential trashcans, and alleyways can provide you with everything you need and at the same time you will be diverting stuff from the landfill. The Average American throws away 4.5 pounds of trash per day. Basically everything you need is in the trash. Here you can even see me bathing in a leaky fire hydrant.

Live in a manner that you know is right for you, serves you, and serves humanity. Say see you later to the social norms that restrict you from doing what you truly want to do. Stop caring what people think and start being the you that you truly want to be. When I decided to this it opened up my life and allowed me to live in the manner that I speak of today.

Take Help

Don’t be too proud to take help from others. All humans are needy. We all depend on community to support us. We all depend on the earth to provide us with food, water, and air. It’s only the illusion of money that makes some people appear that they don’t need help.

Sometimes you’ll take and sometimes you’ll give. You won’t always be able to give back to the person who helped you but as long as you are paying it forward then you are helping to create a better society. Plus a lot of people feel great purpose in helping others so you may be returning the favor more than you know.

Realize it’s OK to Not Pay Taxes

Some would argue that if you are not spending money and you aren’t paying taxes, you are mooching from public systems such as the roads, parks, and libraries. That could hold true, but you can assure that not to be the case by living in service of your country. And heck no I’m not talking about the army. I am talking about doing your part to help these systems that you are involved in but not paying taxes to do so.

If you use the library, volunteer at it.

If you use the public parks, clean up some trash.

If you use the public bathrooms, leave them cleaner than you found them.

It’s important to realize that reciprocation does not have to occur on a direct give and take basis. For example, a man could spend one hundred percent of his money, say 1 million dollars, on creating a safe highway infrastructure for Americans but does that mean that he doesn’t deserve to use the public parks, the library, or walk down the sidewalk? Of course not.

Maybe you don’t have a way to give back to the road system but you could dedicate time to getting more people to walk, lessening the impact on the roads. Maybe you don’t pay for healthcare but you can keep others that use free healthcare out of the hospitals by teaching them to be healthier via their eating and exercise habits. In these ways you can actually save taxpayers money, which would cover your lack of financial contribution. It’s important to note that 50% of taxes goes to war so when you do pay taxes you are funding war.

You have to think outside the box to understand this but taxes are by no means the only way to contribute. Money is not the only form of transaction, although we have been lead to believe that. You can be a contributing member to society without paying taxes or using money. In fact, you can contribute much more in this manner than you would by paying taxes. Once you realize this, your possibilities are endless and the future ahead of you will shine bright.

Then forget what taxes are and pretend to be a child again. You can start by hanging from a tree.

Then stand on your head.

Play like a wild animal.

And explore the simple unknowns.

Earlier this year I received a message from Abby, one of my first girlfriends. She said, “I remember you being convinced you would be a millionaire someday, that was your life goal.” I dated her when I was in University and if anyone knew me at that time it was definitely her. I didn’t just want to have stacks of money though. I wanted to be a millionaire because I thought vast amounts of money bought freedom. Now I’ve learned that the drive for money actually makes you a slave. A slave to the dollar, a slave to bills, a slave to your stuff, but most importantly a slave to your own mind. When your priority is making money you will never have enough.

I no longer desire to be a millionaire, but looking over my life purpose from nearly ten years ago I see something very familiar written at the top of the list.

“Live a life full of health and happiness”

For the most part my goals haven’t changed, just my means of achieving them. In the last few years I have come to find greater levels of health and happiness by living simply. It turns out that all I need to feel an abundance of health and happiness is real food, clean water, simple clothes, simple shelter, and most importantly a bounty of friendship, love, and purpose. I have learned to meet all of these needs with the use of very little money and this have given me the freedom and time to pursue my greatest desires and follow my deepest passions. This knowledge in simplicity has given me the ability to live more freely than I ever could have imagined in my younger years. Now that my needs are met I have dedicated my life to being a steward of the earth that and helping all the beings that make it home.

This reading may not inspire you to travel America without a penny to your name but at the very least it can help make traveling more accessible to you. This is important because traveling creates strong, open minded, resourceful, understanding, and compassionate beings. If you wish to practice what I’ve written for you I recommend that you leave your house on foot for just one day with no money or possessions in your pocket. Experience what I am talking about in your own community and leave everything else at home so that you are forced to immerse in the moment. You may experience hunger or be uncomfortable but this could stir a feeling of aliveness that you haven’t felt since childhood. If anything goes wrong home will still be there for you to retreat to. I started small the same way that I am recommending to you. It took me many years of adventure to get me to where I am today and that will likely be the case for you as well.

What I speak of in this blog can be of service to you even if you feel like you can’t travel right now or don’t want to. All of these ideas can be adapted into your life at home as well to live in a manner that is beneficial to the earth, your community, and yourself and to pursue a deeper level of health, happiness, and freedom.

Start living the life you desire today.

—-

The photos are from my last two cross-country bikes. Most of them are from my first ride and taken by Brent Martin. Thank you for helping me tell my story Brent. Also, I have a book that just came out that is basically the extended story of this blog. Feel free to get a copy of Dude Making a Difference. 100% of my proceeds are donated to nonprofits.

Rob, Nice job responding to my earlier post again: an even more thorough response than your earlier post. My philosophy of life is that if one keeps ones needs simple, it is easy to be a rich man! You are certainly a rich man!

Hi Rob
Last time I travel in USA ( 1 Year ) I got so many invitings, Drink + Food + Shelter as well some little Money up from a $1 > so that I have bin leafing the states with 2000 $ more then when I was arived.
I was never beged for money but because I travel so slow that I always stop if someone weave me and start chating with them / tell them my, and listen them to their Storrys what inspired them and make them want suport (Y) my trip with a dollar. And whenever I come along a event place, I collected the canes and bottles lay around on the floor. This has bring me between $ 5 – 50 on such a ocasion as well.
I think it is YOUR ATITUDE towards the PRESENT (People and Country) what makes the differences.
I was travel for more then 30 years without an income (Job)… Just belife it will work however… it WILL. (Y)
Let's Go my friend the road is calling you…
… and you not need money but you need trust in your self and the others with love <3

Rob, Pleasure to read what you wrote. I was an inspiration. if you ever want to travel across India. Get in touch, would love to share some travels with you. Cheers brother. Take care and keep inspiring

I don't write about that because I write about my personal experiences and of knowledge that I have already obtained. I am not even close to "old age" and thus I would be writing on a topic that I can only speculate. I write in a lead by example manner.
You can rest assured I will absolutely not be using social security, even the portion that I have payed in when I did work.

Great. But as someone who's traveled America for free for decades, you've made this awfully optimistic. I have gotten sick from dumpsters. Society doesn't like outsiders in most of America anymore. Sleeping on the side of the road can get you arrested, tazered, kicked in the head causing PTSD, robbed, and thrown in a cage. Many dumpsters are locked. And if everyone followed us, those rivers and streams would die from all the bronners. It might be good for us, but it isn't for fish. Try a gallon hug instead buddy.

Some American roads are so bad I spent a couple hundred a week on wheels recently. Just wheels, tubes, and truings. I think you are leading many people into disaster: you really have to be tough, smart, hard working, sober, and lucky to make it out here. I've been watching people die, go to prison for nothing, or leave the road for decades. 10 years ago, heck, 5 years ago I'd have thought differently, but America has gotten mean and cruel. If you follow authors advice, you'd better bring an A game!

do a follow up ten years from now; let us know if you're able to survive for that long without using any money, or mooching. also, as i've found over the course of my life, it is totally amazing for people to take advantage of the waste we create as a society, but if everyone lived your (this) way, there would be no waste, there would be no libraries, or public parks or restrooms. this lifestyle is for a very small percentage of people. its cool that you're doing it, but you rely on the fact that most people pay taxes, and that most people waste food and products.

I have a suggestion about loosing the cell service, get a wifi phone app
So u can use the free wifi to call when necessary. I've been living on little to nothing for over five years now. Resourcefulness pays off with much freedom!
I would love to chat with u sometime about ur adventures and share mine with you, along with ideas. I want to travel also but have a family that can't seem to
Understand ho to get by. 812fivesevin23956.text n e time, [email protected], or Facebook paul mcintyre. Looking forward to a reply.

This story is a great American story – a story of privilege. This is something for the young to do – single – childless. And only if you have a safety net like this author did. The only line between this and homeless bums holding cardboard signs is that parental safety net. With that you can do this sort of thing out of choice which lends a bit more dignity to the life compared to the homeless bums who have no choice.

This story is a great American story – a story of privilege. This is something for the young to do – single – childless. And only if you have a safety net like this author did. The only line between this and homeless bums holding cardboard signs is that parental safety net. With that you can do this sort of thing out of choice which lends a bit more dignity to the life compared to the homeless bums who have no choice.

Dear friend If you don't use USD for all your needs how will the Rotshild family(I mean the owner of FED and many other financial institutions) benefit from this? What you doing is absolutely a open challange world financial system. I fully support you and admire you.

Brilliantly told Rob! Although I would also agree that at times it is a bit too positive. I also dumpster dive and I have to say it is not easy, as many are locked. But anyway, the whole idea of achieving the same goals but with different means is spot on. I also had teenage dreams of fame and fortune, I guess just the kind of dreams they (the 1%) want all of us to have. But now I am slowly realizing how everything is rigged from the start. Let´s open our eyes and start livng the life we are supposed to. Food should be free. Noone should pay to live on this planet. It´s time we realize we are slaves because we want to!

every time you purchase an item in a shop you are contributing to the common tax system. it's designed that way. if you spend money, your paying tax, it's that simple. so don't feel like you have to justify not paying tax, because in actuality, you are. they're your roads, pavements etc. so use them.

I am actually in the process of selling all of my worldly possessions to pursue the same kind of lifestyle. Thankyou for this written piece (though you need an editor pretty badly), it has given me hope in places where I had doubts. Thanks once again for some great ideas.

Truly an inspiration. Traveling has always been at the forefront of my mind, and I am so inspired by the way you do so with purpose and reverence for the land. Even for those who don't plan to live such a minimalistic life could learn quite a lot from reading this about taking responsibility for how we interact with our environment .Einstein said the best way to lead is by example, and you have done so beautifully. Keep on keepin' on brother.

i appreciate the things u have done mate. love it and ill try it soon (this summer) im one of those guys who wants to be a millıonare to feel freedom. but i also want to live like this way. my question is what are you going to do when u get old ? i mean if u have money a warm house u can continue whatever u want to do. but when u are not able to be volunteer like the way u have been before. its also different conditions in different countries … so much problems that prevents me from enjoying my free life.

Sultan Savalan I don't know what he will do, but the Universe always provides with a new place and a new meaning. I feel the same fear you do, but it's just a feeling that askes to be listened from a place without clear understaning of life. Tomorrow is a good time to be looking back at today with a feeling of accomplishment. If he 'finishes' his simple-tour, all his experience and awareness will have given him such a full heart to blow away another brilliant challenge and excell in whatever he does in love. Peace!

I do not intend to have children and my recommendation for someone who wants to live in this manner is to not have children.
Once you do have kids though there is no going back. They are your responsibility. I only speak from experience so I can't give much advice in the area of having children but I can say that I've met many people traveling the world with children, never moneyless though. I have also met people who raised children with very little money because they realized that children can live simple and still fully as well just as some adults do.

Yes it is much easier for me as a young white male. I have embraced myself as who I am and believe we all should. Still the strength and resourcefulness of the mind are much more powerful than the skin color, gender, and age.

…says the twenty-or-thirty-something white male. For anybody not fitting this narrow demographic, I submit to you that this lifestyle is unattainable, a pipe dream at best. For the rest of us, attempting to live and travel like this would be a life fraught with constant threats, harassment, danger and discrimination. Nice sentiment, though; and for those of you who DO fit the demographic, do enjoy. 🙂

I would add to this that the lifestyle that Rob Greenfield is leading does not beget a health decline. There are some illness that remain unexplained as of yet, but we largely know that while everyone dies, everyone does not experience a similar decline in health. The common denominators are stress, diet and exercise. I am willing to bet that Rob will be riding his bike and taking good care of himself and keeping a positive attitude well into old age, even if he returns to a "normal" way of life. In so doing he will reduce his health risks to nearly nothing, and will not need what the government has to offer.

It is so disappointing to me that there of those of you who like to say that Mr. Greenfield is successful because his demographic as a young white male. Open your minds people. Anyone can do anything. I wonder how many of you would have said the same thing about a sexually abused black woman named Oprah Winfrey.
Please try to understand that if you believe your demographic will hold you back in any facet, then it will. Remember that while the outside world can surely be noisy, only YOU are responsible for what you BELIEVE.

Dude, this is killer. 5yrs ago, I had so much shit. I gave a bunch of stuff away to my brothers, packed the rest, moved to NCali and gave away the rest of it and then drove around with my dog for three weeks, staying anywhere we could find to pitch our tent. It was the most enlightening time of my life. Found out freeing myself of "things"…the need for TV, George Foreman grills and Jordans was the equivalent of waking up out of the Matrix. You're an inspiration, my man. I'm completely pickin' up what u're puttin' down. Cheers

I would love to do this, but good lord if this isn't possible because of white male privilege… I'm a female and lots of the things you pictured would could possibly be very dangerous for me. Very unfortunate.

I will not get married because I do not intend to get the government involved in my love. My love is for me and my partner, not for any government to officiate.
I don't intend to have kids either, hence my vasectomy at age 25: http://robgreenfield.tv/why-i-got-a-vasectomy/

Zoe I've seen this done by as many women as I have men. Life is dangerous all together, might as well let the danger come from following your deepest of passions, rather than mundane tasks (such as eating unhealthy, lack of exercise, or driving a car the largest killers in this country).

Very good my fellow earth brother.I envisioned a few years back right out of highschool that all this is possible and one no longer needs to be reliant on a corrupt system with thought like these.Im on 3 months off the road but one more month and all this is in my reach.My adult and childhood dreams come true.Nameste friend and I hope to see you somewhere along the road.Save travels:)

thank you for writing this. I agree with you – another great trick is using baking soda while traveling, it has many uses including but not limited to tooth paste and poison ivy ointment 🙂 and its often found in grocery dumpsters 🙂

Sultan Savalan Always live in the NOW. There are no fears or lack in the present. You can't enjoy life worrying about the future (anxiety) or the past (depression). Consider the lillies of the field, how they toil not but are provided for.

A step in the right direction, but it is still depending on a system bought on the (green) backs of slave labor. Money is truly the enemy. Not just the use of it, but its very existence threatens all of us. Read my book, An Alternative to Fascism: Solutions for a Broken System. It might be a fun one to carry along on your ride. Unfortunately, since we are still stuck in the fascist economic system, the hypocrisy of our time requires me to sell it. Publisher's orders.

That was a great story…just remember barter is a means of transaction and has a value attached to it and as a society we get taxed on its value. I think your idea is amazing but I would hate to see you arrested for evasion. Just a hurdle to overcome. I'm sure you will think of something. Thank you for sharing the experience

Hey! I myself am planning to do a self sufficient bike trip across America. I have taken a lot of inspiration from you. I hope that I can do as much good for others and keep as close to nature in my upcoming trip, and I have you to thank for that!

Sultan Savalan
Hello. Great question: What will he do when he gets old? Again, he probably asks and thinks, "What will happen if I don't worry about it now"? But, Truly, I think his correct answer would be, "Absolutely, Nothing".

At my tender age of 73 I travel somewhat like you, the simple way – biking and hiking around the world. I work like heck fromFebruary to May and the rest is time to play not quite moneyless but most reasonable. 62 countries and counting ….
99.99999 percent of the population is good kind and helpful. Only TV makes the world look bad with hype and fear-mongering. I don't have one for over two years now – FREEDOM!!,
Continue your great mission, it's worth it!!!!

This is an amazing story, Rob. Good luck and God bless you on your journeys!
I cannot, although want to, live this lifestyle because I am a single mother of 2.
May you always have everything you need and nothing you don’t. 🙂

Rob, your story is so incredibly inspiring. I am 21 years old and it has been my dream for as long as I can remember to travel. I love meeting people and experiencing different cultures and helping people. I want to begin travelling as soon as I can. What are eaysi can prepare myself physically/mentally for the transition into a lifestyle like this? Also, how do you accomodate your travels to the weather? Winters can become bitterly cold some places. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

I can’t wait to go back on the road!!! I love moneyless traveling. I am not as good as you yet, but I want to add the dumpsters part on a next trip. Thanks for showing people this way of living is actually possible.